Thief stole Apple watch from drunken woman as he kissed her

A man has been ordered to pay £900 after stealing an Apple watch from a drunken woman he was kissing.

Eagle-eyed officers from Hackney were carrying out plain clothes patrols in a Shoreditch bar on August 1 last year, when they spotted Zaki Outmoune remove the watch from the victim’s arm, whilst he embraced her.

They watched him hide the watch under the cushion of a sofa and walk off. Apple watches sell for between £300 and £600 and along with a clock, they have message notifications, music, maps and allow you to make phone calls.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “Police retrieved the watch and spoke with the victim to confirm the theft but she was too intoxicated to speak.

“The female victim who is in her 30s, was spoken to by police the following day. She gave an account of what happened but refused to provide a statement.”

Officers identified Outmoune, 26, of Queensbridge Road, Haggerston, and on Thursday August 6 he was arrested in Shoreditch and later charged with theft.

He pleaded guilty and was fined £500 on Wednesday January 6 at Thames Magistrates’ Court, and ordered to pay £350 costs plus a £50 victim surcharge.

PC Ian Steel, from Hackney Borough, said: “This was a great result, following a victimless prosecution.

“I only hope this case highlights the vulnerability of people when they have had a drink.”